Talking Funny – In general, it is not terribly entertaining to hear comedians talk about comedy. You’d think it would be funny, but usually it’s just boring and frustrating. Still, when the comedians in question are Jerry Seinfeld, Chris Rock, Ricky Gervais and Louis C.K., it’s a whole different story. In this HBO special, the four just sit down together and talks about what works, what doesn’t, and generally crack each other up. These guys are all great comic with very different styles – it’s really funny to hear Jerry talk about how he doesn’t swear in his act (he thinks it sounds unnatural coming from him) and then have Louis C.K. jump in with his filthy Otis Redding parody. (Which everybody in the room thinks is incredibly stupid, but they can’t stop laughing at it.) It’s fun to watch them give each other crap, picking on Jerry for being rich and Ricky for always wearing black. And what really comes through is the amazing work ethic they share – Chris Rock talks about honing his material, and he does hundreds of shows with a new set before he’s comfortable recording an album. Louis C.K. throws out his act every year and starts fresh. If you’re interested in the process of comedy, this is a fascinating hour. If you’re just in the mood for a good laugh, Talking Funny delivers.
